It's a small Frontier after all

I left Auburn, Me in 1989 and havent been back much except for visits. Spending the summer with my father and working as a temp fill in driver for Chinese restaurant and one of the waitresses is related to a police detective that I had some dealings with when I was young and stupid. She assures me he's no angel and that he's retired to Florida. (I'm sure there is a story there but I wont bother to ask). Made me think "small world" . what would be the setting equiv of "small frontier"?